Our Mission

Monokini 2.0 is an art project that re-examines popular culture’s narrow view of a woman’s ideal appearance. We strive to expand what is accepted and considered beautiful by designing a swimwear collection for women who have gone through breast cancer. Swimwear is conventionally designed for women who haven’t had a mastectomy. The fact is that many women who have had one breast removed due to the breast cancer don’t wish to have breast reconstruction operation, they wish to continue their lives with one or no breasts at all.

The creative leaders and creators of Monokini 2.0 artists Katriina Haikala and Vilma Metteri asked a group of Finnish fashion designers to design a swimwear collection for Monokini 2.0. The swimwear collection is modeled by women who have gone through breast cancer. As a result Monokini 2.0 project has 10 beautiful photographs, 10 haute couture bathing suits, 10 empowered women and a world-touring photography exhibition.

Monokini 2.0 Manifesto

We think that the current focus on a breast-reconstruction after mastectomy as the only way to a full life, is a breast-fixated way of seeing what a woman is. We want to incite a positive self-image of breast-operated women by showing that you can be whole, beautiful and sexy even with just one breast or with no breasts at all. Our other aim is to dig into the restrictive social taboo on what is considered appropriate – by exposing something that is not there. Seeing an exposed breast is considered nakedness, but why is exposing no breast also considered nakedness?